Method and apparatus for forming of buttonholes



Jan. 25, 1966 J. c. CHEZAUD ETAL 3,230,916

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING 0F BUTTONHOLES Filed Nov. 9, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Inward. oYs JQa-m c/aalz. CACLlQ-J. "Pic"; B uq' //a V\.

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Attorney Jan. 25, 1966 J. C. CHEZAUD ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FORFORMING OF BUTTONHOLES Filed Nov. 9, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ttofne yUnited States Patent f 3,230,916 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING 0FBUTTONHOLES Jean Claude vChezaud,St-Rambert lIle Barbe, Pierre Buril-Ion, Lyon, and Dominique Mangieri, Cailloux sur Fontaine, France,assi'gnors to Socicte Rhodiaceta, Paris, France, a French body corporateFiled Nov. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 236,496 Claims priority, applicationFrance,,Nov. 13, 1961, 878,704 Claims. (Cl. 112-264) This inventionrelates to a method and apparatus for forming buttonholes.

During the manufacture of anticles of clothing such as shirts, blouses,etc., the buttonholes are formed by means of special sewing machines,which first form the embroidery of that portion of the article whichwill be one of the lips of the buttonhole, then form a stitch, termed astopping stitch at one end of the lip, then form the embroidery of thesecond lip with a return movement of the fabric and finally form asecond stopping stitch.

Normally opening of the buttonhole, that is to say cutting of the fabricbetween the two embroidered lips, is effected subsequently by means of acutting device.

In the following description, the term lip will thus be used regardlessof whether the buttonhole has already been cut or not.

When the fabric of the article is made from thermoplastic fibers, it isusual to cut the buttonhole with a hot cutting device so that thethreads on the cut edges are welded, thus avoiding fraying of the lipsof the buttonhole.

This hot cutting,v when carried out. after the formation of thebuttonhole, constitutes a supplementary and delicate operation which isfrequently the cause of defects.

It has already been proposed to carry out this hot cutting operationduring the actual formation of the buttonhole on the machine, or in moreprecise manner, when forming the first lip of the buttonhole, thecutting device preceding the needle. However, this method of operationnecessitates the provision on the machine of a number of supplementarymembers operating in the zone where the stitching is carried out. Forexample a pair of small rollers provided to keep the two lips of thebuttonhole in position during the formation thereof. As a result of thisthe working zone is obstructed.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method offorming a buttonhole in an article of thermoplastic fabric using asewing machine having a stitching needle, such method comprisingembroiderin-g the stitches for forming the first lip of the buttonholeby moving the fabric relative to the machine in a first direction,embroidering the stitching forming the second lip of the buttonhole bymoving the fabric relative to the machine in a direction opposite to thefirst direction and hot cutting the fabric as the stitching of thesecond lip is effected the means for cutting being operated slightly inarrear of the stitching needle.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided apparatusfor forming buttonholes in thermoplastic fabric, such apparatuscomprising a sewing machine having a needle and needle plate, means fortranslating fabric relative to said needle and plate first in onedirection and then in the opposite direction, a cutting member movablebetween an out-of-the-way position below said plate and an operativeposition in which it projects above the plate to the side of the needlewhich is in arrear of the needle when the fabric is translated in saidopposite direction, and means for heating the cutting member, thearrangement being such that, when fabric is caused to move in onedirection, the cutting 3,233,916 Patented Jan. 25, 1965 member remainsin its out-o-f-the-way position and, when the fabric is caused to movein the opposite direction, the heated cutting member is caused to moveinto cutting contact with the fabric. The means for translating thefabric may take any suitable form. For example they may take the form offeed means as illustrated in United States Patent No. 2,421,712 toNichols issued June 3, 1947.

The cutting member is preferably fixed on a resilient support disposedon the needle plate and emerges through an opening formed in the latter.Heating thereof is advantageously controlled by the working cycle of thesewing machine so as to be set in operation with the start of theformation of the second lip of the buttonhole and to be stopped as soonas this operation is completed.

The method and apparatus according to the invention have the advantageof not complicating the working zone on the machine, since the cuttingmember is preferably located on the needle plate and it is no longernecessary to provide supplementary members maintaining the position ofthe two lips of the buttonhole during the formation thereof. Inaddition, this formation is carried out in a better manner, since it ismade before the hot cutting of the fabric. Any danger of slipping of thefabric during the operation is thus avoided.

In order that the invention may more readily be understood the followingdescription is given, merely by way of example, with reference to theaccompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIGURES 1 and 2 show diagrammatically a section of part of apparatusaccording to this invention, and illustrate respectively the position ofthe cutting member of such apparatus during the formation of the firstlip and the second lip of the buttonhole and FIGURE 3 is a diagram ofthe electric control circuit for the heating of the cutting member ofthe apparatus, the diagram also showing a number of the parts of theapparatus in detail and the relative positions of these parts in theapparatus.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 the heated cutting member indicated by the reference1 is mounted on a resilient support 2, enclosed in the opening 3 formedin the lower face of the needle plate 4 of a sewing machine. The fabricT passes, as shown, between the needle plate and the usual presser foot5.

Referring to FIGURE 1, during the formation of the first lip of thebuttonhole, the cutting member, which is not heated, is urged into theopening 3 by the pressure of the fabric. During the formation of thefirst lip the fabric is moved by feed means such as those ofaforementioned US. Patent No. 2,421,712, in a first direction asindicated by the arrow 17.

Referring to FIGURE 2, at the time of forming the second lip, the heatedcutting member is urged by its resilient support against the fabric andcauses the melting of fabric over the entire length of the buttonhole.During the forming of the second lip, the fabric is moved by the feedmeans in the opposite direction as indicated by the arrow 18. Thus thecutter 1, during this movement is in arrear of the needle hole 16through which the needle of the sewing machine passes.

FIGURE 3 shows a buttonholing machine 6 of a type known per se and ofwhich only the outline has been shown for greater simplicity. The mainmembers controlling the heating of the cutting member are shownseparately and in diagrammatic form to a larger scale. A 3-phase supplysource is adapted to be connected to a supply circuit 8 of the machinevia a main switch 9. Two of the phases supply the primary of atransformer 10 included in the heating circuit of the cutting member,which is connected to two conducting elements 7 and 7 these beinginsulated from the needle plate and connected to the secondaryof thetransformer 10. Also included in the heating circuit are a switches 12and 13.

The first micro-switch 12, which is connected to a lever 14 controllingthe running of the machine, disconnects the heating circuit when themachine is stopped. Thus, in the event of the thread breaking or anyaccident, the operator can manually control the machine and repair thedamage Without the cutting member becoming operative. The secondmicro-switchlS is connected to a cam 15 controlling the automaticproduction of the buttonhole.

In operation the switch 11 is closed manually and lever 14 actuated toclose the micro-switch 12. As soon as the machine starts to cause thereturn movement of the fabric, the cam closes micro-switch 13,completing the circuit and thus heating the cutting member 1. As soon asthe return movement of the fabric ceases the cam opens micro-switch 13thus cutting off the heating.

We claim:

1. A method of forming a buttonhole in an article of thermoplasticfabric using a sewing machine having a stitching needle, such methodcomprising embroidering the stitches for forming the first lip of thebuttonhole by moving the fabric relative to the machine in a firstdirection, em'broidering the stitching forming the second lip of the'buttonhole by moving the fabric relative to the machine in a directionopposite to the first direction and hot cutting the fabric as thestitching of the second lip is effected the means for cutting beingoperated slightly in arrear of the stitching needle.

2. A method of forming a buttonhole in an article of thermoplasticfabric using a sewing machine having a stitching needle, such methodcomprising embroidering the stitches for forming the first lip ofthevbuttonhole.

by moving the fabric relative to the machine in a first direction,embroidering the stitching forming the second lip of the 'buttonhole bymoving the fabric relative to the machine in a direction opposite to thefirst direction and hot cutting the fabric as the stitching of thesecond lip is effected said hot cutting being automatically controlledby said sewing machine to be operated slightly behind said stitchingneedle.

3. Apparatus for forming a buttonh-ole in thermoplastic fabric, suchapparatus comprising a sewing machine having a needle and needle plate,means for translating fabric relative to said needle and plate first inone direction and switch 11 and two micro then in the oppositedirection, a cutting member movable between anout-of-the-waypositionbelowsaid plate and an operative position in whichit projects above the plate to the side of the needle which is in arrearof the needle when the fabric is translated in said opposite direction,and means for heating said cutting member, means for moving said cuttingmember into its operative position and control means operable on saidheating means and coupled to said means for translating said fabric soas to actuate said heating means when said fabric is being translated insaid opposite direction.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 3 and including means defining anopening in said plate and resilient means disposed beneath said plateurging said cutting member through said opening.

5. Apparatus for forming buttonholes in thermoplastic fabric such.apparatus comprising a sewing machine having a needle; a needle platedisposed beneath said needle; means defining an aperture in said needleplate; a cutting member disposed beneath said plate and on one sidethereof a spring urging said cutting member through said aperture;electrical heating means for heating said cutting member; means fortranslating fabric over said plate from said needle in a directiontowards said cutting member; further means for translating fabric in thedirection opposite to-said direction and control means effective tocause said heating means to heat said cutting member on operation ofsaid further means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,640,283 8/ 1927Miller 112-264 2,421,712 6/ 1947 Nichols 112-68 2,592,463 4/1952Phillips 112-129 X 2,762,323 9/1956 Bernard 112-123 2,780,193 2/1957Smith et a1. 112-264 2,874,660 2/1959 Holland l1268 FOREIGN PATENTS1,166,478 6/ 1958 France.

847,582 8/ 1952 Germany.

715,154 9/1954 Great Britain.

878,414 9/1961 Great Britain.

ROBERT V. SLOAN, Primary Examiner.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, JORDAN FRANKLIN,

' Examiners.

1. A METHOD OF FORMING A BUTTONHOLE IN AN ARTICLE OF THERMOPLASTICFABRIC USING A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A STITCHING NEEDLE, SUCH METHODCOMPRISING EMBROIDERING THE STITCHES FOR FORMING THE STRIP FIRST LIP OFTHE BUTTONHOLE BY MOVING THE FABRIC RELATIVE TO THE MACHINE IN A FIRSTDIRECTION, EMBROIDERING THE STITCHING FORMING THE SECOND